Check It Out: Do you know the Muffin Tin Man?

I have a new favorite cookbook I want you to check out!  It's fun and funky and different and chocked full of really good sounding recipes like Pancetta Cups with Fig Jam, Pretzel Rounds with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, Meatloaves with Chimichurri Sauce, and Frozen Berries with White Chocolate Cashew Cream.  Tempting, huh?  And the cool part?  They're all made using a muffin tin.

I really think that you are going to love cooking from Muffin Tin Chef: 101 Savory Snacks, Adorable Appetizers, Enticing Entrees & Delicious Dessers by Matt Kadey (Ulysses Press, 2012).  My friend Ducky was in town this weekend and picked this one out for me to try and to share with you.  She made a good choice, I hope you think so too.

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Main Dishes, page 90, Muffin Tin Chef

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tbps unsalted butter
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 medium turnip, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
2/3 pound ground turkey breast or chicken breast
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp grainy mustard or Dijon mustard
1 large whole egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg white
1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 oz)

Steam or boil the sweet potatoes until very tender.  Transfer to a medium bowl and mash with the butter, nutmeg, and flour; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the onions, carrot, turnip, and garlic until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.  Sitr in the corn and cook until the corn is tender, about 1 minute.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together the turkey or chicken, cooked vegetables, bread crumbs, tomato paste, mustard, whole egg, egg white, thyme, salt and pepper.

Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups.  Spread the sweet potato mixture over the meat and top with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake until set, about 25 minutes.  Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

NOTES

This is one time I will NOT tell you it's okay to substitute beef or pork for the ground turkey or chicken.  The reason being that the latter doesn't cook off any grease that would sit in the bottom of the tin cups and make the pies unpalatable, the former would.

I chopped my veggies pretty small, but they could have been even smaller and it would have worked out okay.  It would have cut down the chances of the pies fallen apart when being removed even more.

When removing the pies from the cups, make sure to loosen around the edges first and then make sure to support the bottom when pulling out.  Again this is where making my veggie cuts even smaller would be helpful, making the pies less chunky.

If you decide you want to use potatoes instead of turnips, like I almost did, make sure they are parboiled before throwing into the skillet.  If you start with raw potatoes, they won't cook as well or as fast as the other ingredients and might still be "al dente" when you serve the pies.

More detailed information about the book, ISBN 978-61243-052-2, 160pp, 6.5 x 9" paperback, $15.95.  It's got lots of sexy color photos of the products and yes, I already know that my final product doesn't look as glamorous as what's in the book, but it still tastes as delightful as it sounds.